


Our Word is Law

by ScreamingLotus



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Bonding, English, Gen, One Shot, Protective Older Brothers, Short One Shot, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-20
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-29 01:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30148560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScreamingLotus/pseuds/ScreamingLotus
Summary: While brushing Illumi's hair, Killua ponders the idea of getting his Hunter License. However, Illumi, with his unhealthy protective nature, has his own thoughts.
Relationships: Illumi Zoldyck & Killua Zoldyck
Kudos: 11





	Our Word is Law

Illumi allowed his eyes to close as the soft bristles of the brush moved delicately across the back of his head and down his back. The action itself was so normal, something that happened at least once a day. And yet, it was somehow relaxing when someone else did it for you. For once, Illumi could focus less on the action and more on the feeling of Killua’s gentle hands as he played with his hair in between brush strokes. 

In an otherwise harsh family, moments like this were fleeting and precious. Besides, Killua had offered to brush it for him, and he was certainly not one to turn down his little brother. 

Their father, always stern, had been surprisingly more so with his request at Killua’s birth. Tasked with his care, Illumi had always made it his priority to give Killua whatever he wished for within reason while instilling the ideals that their father preached. 

To him, Killua was everything. He was the future of their clan, his pride and joy. He had raised Killua with careful precision and, perhaps without realizing it, grown an attachment to him unlike any other he had known before. His other siblings weighed very little on Illumi’s disturbed mind, but Killua was always there, ever-present and in every fear or worry that lingered in his mind. 

Within the calm silence, the two sat. Illumi could hear Killua’s faint heartbeat, beating in time with his as the two synchronized their breaths. 

Killua withdrew a sharp breath, throwing off the serenity of the moment and causing Illumi’s eyes to flash open. “I’ve been thinking lately…”

“Oh?” Illumi tried to bury his concern, but it slipped out in the mild quiver in his voice. Thinking was never a good sign. It meant that Killua was unfocused and, worse, coming up with his own ideas that were separate from the ones Illumi wanted him to have. “About?”

“The hunter’s exam,” Killua replied casually. He set down the brush and started separating his brother’s hair into sections. Then, crossing them skillfully, he started braiding it. “I’d be easy for me. I doubt any challenge they throw at me will be a match given who I am.”

“Yes, I suppose that’s true…”

“You still seem unsure.”

Illumi paused for a moment to consider. The idea of Killua leaving, the idea of him having a license that could get him into places he couldn’t follow. The danger of it all. Even with Killua, as skilled as he was, he still knew nothing of nen. Illumi preferred it that way. 

Someday, of course, he would need to learn it to become the top assassin he was destined to be, and Illumi would be more than happy to share with him all his knowledge on the subject. For now, though, Killua was still young, impressionable and the idea of him learning such skills would mean Illumi losing the semblance of control he had over him. He couldn’t allow it; he couldn’t keep his brother safe if he was actively fighting against him. It was safer, easier, for him to be clueless. If only for now.

“Killua, the outside world is full of cruelty and deceit. Everyone out there wishes to gain something from you,” Illumi finally replied, “Letting them will only cause you grief. As creatures of the dark, the only things that can bring us joy are our great family…and death.” 

“Death…”

Illumi turned slowly to face him. For a moment, he simply watched as Killua looked up to him with a look of mild surprise. He reached out and touched his white hair, admiring it as if it were freshly fallen snow, untouched by sloppy footprints. Illumi smiled lovingly, a rare thing to see and yet more common in Killua’s eyes than anyone else’s. “All you need is me,” he whispered, “You don’t need a hunter’s license. I’ve become quite skilled in sneaking in and out of places and most of our jobs don’t require such nonsense.” 

“Wouldn’t it be useful if someone had it then? What if we do get a job like that?”

Pausing, Illumi thought it over, his hand stopping within Killua’s hair. He dug his nails in, eyes darkening with a strange and unexplainable rage. Killua winced, but Illumi continued to stare at him, fixated and unblinking. “You let father and I worry about those jobs,” he demanded in a quiet, yet authoritative voice. Killua could feel his breath becoming quicker as he stared, fearful of his own flesh and blood.

“B-but you don’t have one either,” Killua replied, unable to stop his own body from quivering beneath Illumi. 

“No,” he replied, “But when the day comes, I’m prepared to get one.” Illumi let go of him, realizing he had gone too far as he dropped the faint aura that had been swirling threateningly about him. Killua immediately crawled off the bed and fled his room, leaving Illumi alone once more. With a deep sigh, Illumi muttered, “I’ll have to buy him a new skateboard now.”


End file.
